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Washington in the Movies
Aired July 02, 2003 - 15:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Washington and Hollywood have more in common than you may think. Both are political places, not always, we're sad to say, known for honesty.
With "Legally Blonde 2" opening in the theaters today, CNN's Skip Loescher looks at how the nation's capitol has been portrayed on the big screen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SKIP LOESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ever since the early days of Hollywood, film producers have been making other locations look like D.C.
After all, would anyone pay to see "Mr. Smith goes to Richmond"?
JAMES STEWART, ACTOR: Somebody will listen to me.
LOESCHER: Or at the box office this weekend, "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Da Bears."
SALLY FIELD, ACTRESS: You can't get the people to care.
REESE WITHERSPOON, ACTRESS: Watch me.
FIELD: Well, we had to go to Springfield, Illinois, because their state capital looked similar to our nation's capitol.
LOESCHER: Washington isn't a perfect filming location. Well, because it's D.C.: high expenses, congested traffic and tight security.
LENNY STEINHORN, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: Whether it is the police wondering, you know, who's bringing which package where.
LOESCHER: So much like real politicians, filmmakers tend to stretch the truth. It's called artistic license. But they do try to get it right.
STEWART: Great principals don't get lost once they come to light.
MICHAEL JACK, AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE: Going back to "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" they actually built their own set a chamber, down to great accuracy. LOESCHER: And really, if you want to see the real Washington, come to D.C.
WITHERSPOON: D.C. Here I come.
LOESCHER: Or watch the news.
STEINHORN: What Hollywood does is it takes certain things that happen and then blows them out of proportion.
LOESCHER: But if you want to escape reality, then go see a movie.
WITHERSPOON: I can't believe I just said that.
LOESCHER: In Washington, I'm Skip Loescher.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 2, 2003 - 15:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Washington and Hollywood have more in common than you may think. Both are political places, not always, we're sad to say, known for honesty.
With "Legally Blonde 2" opening in the theaters today, CNN's Skip Loescher looks at how the nation's capitol has been portrayed on the big screen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SKIP LOESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ever since the early days of Hollywood, film producers have been making other locations look like D.C.
After all, would anyone pay to see "Mr. Smith goes to Richmond"?
JAMES STEWART, ACTOR: Somebody will listen to me.
LOESCHER: Or at the box office this weekend, "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Da Bears."
SALLY FIELD, ACTRESS: You can't get the people to care.
REESE WITHERSPOON, ACTRESS: Watch me.
FIELD: Well, we had to go to Springfield, Illinois, because their state capital looked similar to our nation's capitol.
LOESCHER: Washington isn't a perfect filming location. Well, because it's D.C.: high expenses, congested traffic and tight security.
LENNY STEINHORN, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: Whether it is the police wondering, you know, who's bringing which package where.
LOESCHER: So much like real politicians, filmmakers tend to stretch the truth. It's called artistic license. But they do try to get it right.
STEWART: Great principals don't get lost once they come to light.
MICHAEL JACK, AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE: Going back to "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" they actually built their own set a chamber, down to great accuracy. LOESCHER: And really, if you want to see the real Washington, come to D.C.
WITHERSPOON: D.C. Here I come.
LOESCHER: Or watch the news.
STEINHORN: What Hollywood does is it takes certain things that happen and then blows them out of proportion.
LOESCHER: But if you want to escape reality, then go see a movie.
WITHERSPOON: I can't believe I just said that.
LOESCHER: In Washington, I'm Skip Loescher.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
